Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-10-06

lOeoIS- a puOllc mocIlbB was utIu IN
the court room Sunday evening, and a
committee appointed to solicit and dis
tribute aid to the needy sufferers On
that committee were number of the
best known citizens of the town, and all
we're men of high character. The com.
mittee went to work energetically to
secure relief. Two days later the coun>
try was flooded with circular letters of
which the following is copy:
ST. CLAIRsvILLE, Ohio, April 81, 1887.
Dear Sir: AS st. Ulairsville has been visited
by a most destructive cyclone, destroying the
homes and accommodations of great number
of families, we take the liberty of addressing
you, and ask for whatever contribution you may
feel disposed to make. A large majority of the
sufferers have lost their all, and are homeless.
We trust you will not permit the postage on
this circular to be wasted in addressing you,
but forward your subscription, if ever so small.
You can rest assured that any contribution sent
to any of the undersigned will be promptly sp-
piled for the purpose intended.
DR. JOIN ALEXANDER, W. ID. HoFF,
DAVID N. SUTTON, l. NJ. RILEY,
GEO. BRowN, SR., JOIN W. SHANNON,
SAMUEL D. RILEY, R. J. RILEY.
Names were signed to this infamous
circular without exhibiting it or making
known its contents to the alleged sign>
ers, and two days after thousands of
them had been mailed here and at
Wheeling copies of it fell into the hands
OF DR.. John Alexander and of Judge
Hoff, who both repudisted it in the
strongest terms, and at the demand of
the latter joint meeting OF the relief
committee and of the alleged committee
was held at Mr.. Riley's Office. There. in
the presence of r. J. Riley (of the Gaz-
ette), one of the signers OF the latter
circular, and of Mr.. w. l.. Callen (oi
Wheeling, and brOther-in-law of the
Rileys,) both of wnom had Leen active
in circulating this infamous circular
Judge Hoff denounced and repudiated it
in the strongest terms, and said his
name had been put to it without his au-
thority. The mother and brothers of
the Gazette people had been heavy suf-
ferers, and when asked to allow the use
of their names to an appeal for them,
Judge Hoff and DR.. Alexander willingly
consented; but it will be observed this
circular professed to make general ap-
peal for all sufferers. There was no At
tempt by Mr.. r. ]. Riley nor Mr. Callen
to justify nor defend the fraud. The
latter said fifty dollars had been expenG-
ed for postage by them-thst when be
came up from Wheeling he concluded
the regularly appointed committee did
not appreciate the magnitude of the dis
aster, and it had not had experience in
such matters, and that he concluded to
assist in Organizing further measures of
relief. When told there was danger
the object sought would be thwarted
because of the interference of the Riley
committee, he earnestly begged that
there should be no steps taken against
that self-sppointed committees and assert
e1 that the moneys raised by his commit
tee should be equitably distributed by the
relief committee. The conference ad'
journed without any satisfactory adjust
ment.
In the meantime the Riley committee
sought the aid of every newspaper it
could reach to further lis ends. and "A
member of tue Gazette staff spent about
one week in Pittsburgh collecting funds
net one dollar Of aohich auGs e0er paid the
treasurer Of the relief fund, although Mr..
Callen said all moneys received by them
should go into the hands of Mr.. Mitch>
ell, treasurer of the relief committee
The Ohio Farmer and other newspapers
printed appeals, calling upon charitable
people to send their contributions to
one of the Rileys, who was designa
ted as treasurer Of the relief committee.
No money from that source eOer reached Ar.
Mitchell All contributions sent to others
than the Rileys of that committee were
turned over to Treasurer Mitchell, and
by him craaited to that committee, alt
though in some instances it was very
apparent the giyers intended their cons
tributions for the general relief fund.
How much they received that Was not
reported to Mr.. Mitchell is not known,
and never will be. From the relief
committee they received more than any
other family.
Believing that charitable people else
where were being imposed upon by the
Riley circular, the relief committee was
compelled to close its work, and an.
nounce to the public that no further
contributions were required, possibly
before it Otherwise would have done so.
Tue moneys received of Messrs. AIex>
aBder. Htff and Brown by Treasurer
Mitchell, of the relief committee We're
turned ever to Mr.. George Brown; one
of the alleged signers Of the Riley circa.
lar. and were by him paid 10 the Rileys.
Before that was done, the Riieys had
received from the relief committee mUre
than any other family.
The relief committee was confronted
with this annoyance and emharras5+
ment at an early stage of its work. IL
boHubu " sup TIC lOM vi
provoked repr0achtul inquiries from
many sources, and was in every way
harmful to our people.
We have said the Riley circular pro-
fessed TO make general appeal for the
sufferers. l was 50 understood 10y those
vino received it. In the newspapers
abroad the planners of the scheme
banned Samuel d. Riley as treasurer,
and asked that contributions be sent to
him. These communications throw
small ray of light upon the workings of
the scheme:
[Copy of Postal Card
SHORT CREEK, Harrison Go, Ohio,
May 2, 1887.
GEORGE Brown, Dear Sir: sent cheque
to-day to Samuel Riley, to aid cyclone suffer
ers. I suppose he is the right man. | see you
are one of the committee. L. B. LAMB.
GCopy Of letter.
NJ